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PUP to rethink ties with UVF

THE Progressive Unionist party will meet behind closed doors at a conference on Saturday to consider its relationship with the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commandos, writes Liam Clarke.

The party’s aim is to give advice to the paramilitaries and to encourage them in a peaceful direction. But many members feel its advice has not been listened to and the link to an uncontrollable UVF is affecting the party.

One activist said: “We have to deal with situations created by the UVF without being part of the decision making. The UVF/RHC don’t provide any economic or electoral support to the PUP. Most of them don’t even vote for it. Many back the DUP instead but it doesn’t suffer the consequences, we do.”

The activist said the PUP could not justify prostitution and drugs rackets and the UVF link was now a liability. “They are destroying their own communities.